13 years for rapist uncle

THE High Court in Suva has sentenced a man to 10 years in jail for raping his 13-year-old niece on six different occasions.

Justice Janaka Bandara, in sentencing, said the young girl had gone to stay with the accused and his wife when she was very young.

The assessors had found the man not guilty but Justice Bandara said the accused's demands for sex from the victim could not be considered as consent.

"It was revealed at the trial that the victim has been sexually abused by you somewhere between April 2011 and October 8, 2011 six times," Justice Bandara said.

He said the victim surrendered to her uncle as her guardian who met her living and education expenses.

"The victim had gotten pregnant as a result of her sexual relationship with you and given birth to a baby at the time she offered to divulge information in the court. ... Now she is left with a devastated future and life-long trauma."